


Dreaming of a Hyperion Christmas

by Jolty13



Series: Hyperion Guys [1]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Adorable, And his boyfriends, Christmas Cookies, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluff without Plot, Hyperion, In-Jokes, Kissing, M/M, Multi, Nice Jack, Rhackothaughn, Timothy loves Christmas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-02-07 04:13:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12833058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jolty13/pseuds/Jolty13
Summary: Rhys, Jack, Timothy, and Vaughn all spend Christmas together. They're in for the best holiday they've ever had!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just want these Hyperion guys to be adorable together; they're the best.
> 
> Brace yourself for the fluff!

Jack vaguely felt the movement of Timothy wriggling down the bed, but was in too deep of sleep to give it much thought. He rolled thoughtlessly over into the newly open space and was lulled right back under by the smooth darkness and quiet that enveloped the room. Sleep had come easier to him in the past few months than it had in a long time. He was damn grateful for it.

A sudden harsh light pierced through his eyelids as the room light was turned on. Simultaneously a  Christmas song started playing on the sound system.

“Good morning!” Timothy called over the upbeat tune. “Merry Christmas!”

Jack’s face crunched up into a hard grimace as he buried his head under a pillow. It provided little reprieve from the situation at hand. On the other side of the bed, Rhys was also groaning in similar disgust.

“It’s not morning yet, Tim,” the cybernetic man complained. His speech was so slurred from sleeping that it could barely be understood. “It can’t be.”

Timothy’s weight plopped onto the foot of the bed. “Six o’ clock is morning!”

Jack flung a small pillow at the direction of the too-loud music. “You lost your friggin’ mind?!” The pillow grazed a speaker but did nothing to stop the onslaught of sound.

Timothy rapidly crawled over, the bed jostling from the movement, and he hovered over Jack.

Jack curled up defiantly. He was determined not to get swayed by Timothy’s charms or join in on this nonsense. “Nope. Forget it!” he snapped.

Warm lips pressed quick kisses to a spot on his neck that wasn’t covered by pillow or blanket. “Come on, Jacky,” Timothy spoke sweetly. “It’s our first Christmas all together!” The declaration made the body double shake him a little. “Isn’t that exciting?”

Jack wormed his way over to where his other two partners were likewise taking shelter under the blankets. Rhys faced away and had Vaughn in a tight hold, the two mumbling sleepily to each other. Jack swung an arm and gripped them both close to him. His face buried against Rhys’s neck.

“We can have Christmas together in bed,” Jack stated smugly. “Turn everything off and get your ass back in here, cupcake!”

Vaughn huffed. His face bore a serene, sleepy smile as it rested close to Rhys’s chest. “Maybe we should get up,” he mumbled.

“No, _Vaughn,_ ” Rhys moaned. “It’s too early. Don’t turn on us.”

The shorter man wiggled to loosen himself from Rhys and Jack’s grips. “We’re all awake now, aren’t we?” he spoke over a yawn. “I kind of like Timothy’s idea.” He gave a quick apologetic kiss to each of his disgruntled partners before crawling out from underneath the blanket.

Timothy was there to meet him as he stood. Without much effort he had scooped Vaughn off his feet and into a warm hug. “I knew I could count on you!” he gushed before tilting his head for a kiss. Vaughn chuckled a little against Timothy’s lips, feeling his toes brush against the other man’s shins.

A light clatter broke their attention as a cybernetic hand reached out and snatched Vaughn’s glasses from the nightstand with the speed of a viper. Self-satisfied snickers rumbled from underneath the blanket.

“That’s playing dirty, Rhys!”

At least a half hour of negotiations and bargaining ensued, Jack finally promising to be up in ten minutes if Timothy turned the ear-bleeding music off. Eventually all four men stood in their spacious kitchen. Jack still squinted like a grumpy newborn skag, and Rhys leaned against the kitchen island like he’d been shot. The rich smell of coffee filled the room as Timothy poured them each a mug. Jack snatched the beverage before anything was added in and took a swig. “Ugh,” he exhaled, straightening up. “That’s more like it.”

Rhys, who was wearing Vaughn’s glasses, grinned toothily at his best friend. Vaughn rolled his eyes and poured some creamer into another of the mugs. Without a word they traded caffeine for eyewear.

“I can’t believe you held my glasses hostage,” Vaughn moped. His nose scrunched as he took the time to wipe off fingerprint smudges before placing them back over his ears.

Rhys snorted a little into his coffee. “It was worth the look on your face.” When Vaughn still pouted, Rhys leaned over to gently ruffle and kiss his soft hair. Vaughn tried to stubbornly grimace but it was now obviously forced.

“Bro, how do you wear those all the time? I’ve got dents on my nose from how heavy they are.”

“Um, you have tech shoved in through a hole in your head,” Vaughn said with a light elbow jab. “I don’t want to hear about it.”

 “All right, kittens,” Jack interrupted. “If you're gonna drag me out of bed this early, how about less chatter and more presents?”

"That's the plan,” Timothy beamed. He wrapped his arms around Jack’s shoulders and ushered them both toward the living room. Rhys arched an inquisitive eyebrow at Vaughn as soon as the two had their backs turned.

“Did you get the…” His words were barely audible.

Vaughn just gave a sly grin in response. Rhys mirrored it and threw an arm around Vaughn’s shoulder as they went to join their boyfriends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somebody's getting a big surprise next chapter! XD


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for presents!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More cuteness! XD I admit to spending more time pondering what these guys should have for Christmas than the people I'm actually buying gifts for.

A few minutes later the four had convened in the living room. Vaughn snuggled in close next to Jack on the couch with a blanket, taking advantage of the man’s reliably toasty warm body temperature. Rhys and Timothy sat on the floor to distribute presents, each on either side of the Christmas tree in the corner. Rhys gazed up at the sight of towering, rich green pine. It reached almost all the way to the ceiling, which was no small feat in Jack’s living space. He’d had it professionally filled with shimmering ornaments and strung with countless lights that rippled through every color of the rainbow. Rhys smiled at the unnecessary luxury; there was no concept in Jack’s mind about doing things halfway, and he doubted it was something the man would have bothered to do just for himself.

Timothy held a small stack of envelopes in his hands. “We got some cards. Let's open them first!”

“Ugh. Boring,” Jack scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

Timothy ignored that and began reading the cards with a grin. Watching him, Jack chuckled inwardly at how childlike Tim could be when he was excited about something. The sight was almost enough to take away his regret of not being in bed right now.

“Ah, this one’s from Yvette,” Timothy read, steadily passing the cards off to Rhys to circulate around. “And Gladstone! He says Merry Christmas, hopes we’re all doing well… Oh.” He stopped suddenly, cringing. “And, ah, from the claptrap team.”

From the last envelope he pulled out a heavily crinkled piece of paper. There were hasty, rough scribbles in pen that had torn through the paper in spots, and about a third of it appeared to have been burned off – the edge was curled and blankened. Timothy eyed it unenthusiastically. “I…can’t tell what it says. Probably Merry Christmas, I guess.”

Jack rubbed the bridge of his nose with a drawn-out sigh, and Rhys couldn’t suppress a laugh. If it was the one thing Jack and Tim had in common besides their face, it was a mutual hate for the claptrap robots. Early on after becoming CEO, Jack had downsized them to all working as customer service phoneline bots in a contained area, and Rhys and Vaughn had been spared much of their annoying personalities.

Finally the group moved on to presents. Part of earlier bargains to get everyone out of bed involved a promise that Jack could go first, so Timothy handed over the wrapped packages with his name on them. After moving some of the boxes, Tim peered toward the back of the pile. “Was that red box always there?” he asked, pointing to the medium-sized package.

Rhys coughed suddenly. “Yeah,” he answered, giving Timothy a winning smile.

Jack interrupted by tearing at the first present in his lap. Vaughn had to lean away to keep from being caught up in the carnage of shiny gold paper.

“Um, that’s from me, by the way,” Rhys made a point to state before the wrapping all got ripped off.

Jack held up a glass bottle filled with almond-colored liquid and smirked. “Massage oil? Oh, cupcake, you must really want reasons to get your hands all over me.” Rhys chuffed but winked at Jack. His cheeks were a little pink at the statement.

The next present was from Timothy. Jack made quick work of the careful wrap job and held up a large book. “Smug Kitchen,” he read with a smirk. “My recipes aren’t growing old on you, are they, Timmy?” He greedily started flipping through the pages.

Timothy grinned. “You’re cooking’s legendary, Jack. We need to experience more of it.”

“Won’t argue with you there. Everything I _do_ is legendary, baby.”

Vaughn placed his chin in the crook of Jack’s neck to get a better view of the cookbook. “Skag sliders, spicy nacho dip…” Suddenly he snorted. “Jackfruit sandwiches.” The accountant started shaking with laughter, and Timothy held a hand to his face in attempt to muffle giggles.

“All right, you’re getting drool on me, kiddo,” Jack protested, leaning the shorter man away. “Jackfruit sandwiches are probably the tits, though. I mean, they’d have to be.”

Using the blanket they were sharing, Vaughn wiped at his mouth and watched as the last gift was unwrapped. The side of Jack’s mouth quirked as he peered down at the box in his lap. “Soap?”

“It’s aromatherapy,” Vaughn explained. He leaned over Jack’s lap to point at the contents. “The body wash and cologne are mint and eucalyptus. The smells help with stress relief.”

Jack narrowed his eyes at the younger man with mock offense. “Are you saying I have a problem with stress?” he muttered darkly.

Vaughn snorted. “You’re like the embodiement of-“

The snarky comment was cut off with a shriek as Jack seized arms around and playfully bit the side of his neck. Tim and Rhys watched with fond amusement as Vaughn laughed and yelled, flailing arms to try and escape the assault of harsh kisses and nips. When Jack finally released him, the man was well flustered and trying to readjust his glasses. Rhys smirked and handed him his presents.

“Here – since you bravely spoke for all of us.”

Timothy leaned forward brightly. “The one with the blue wrapping is from me!”

Vaughn bashfully began working at the present in question, and found a gray T-shirt underneath the paper. With a smile he lifted it up to look at the front, then huffed a laugh when he saw what it said.

Jack grinned widely at the reaction. “Oh, it says something dirty, doesn’t it?” Timothy’s stifled giggles nearby only fueled his interest. “Come on, princess, let’s have a look!”

Chuckling, Vaughn turned the shirt around for the others to see. Rhys smirked at the image while Jack’s expression only fell into a disappointed frown.“What the hell?” he mumbled.

“Look!” Vaughn said, pointing to the math symbols on shirt. The act of having to explain the joke only added to his amusement. “Pi says ‘get real,’ andi says ‘be rational’!” With that he and Timothy both fell into a bout of laughter.

Rhys looked between the two fondly. Despite Vaughn and Timothy having known each other for the least amount of time amongst the four of them, they had quickly become friends and more. Neither of them were really concerned with trying to act cool, so they always seemed to feel safe showing their true colors to each other.

Jack leaned over and tapped his finger on an envelope that was sitting in Vaughn’s lap. “All right, open the present from me before we all suffocate on the nerdiness in this room.”

Clearing his throat, Vaughn held up the envelope and peered at it curiously. He wondered if it was some sort of ticket or gift certificate to somewhere. There was never any telling with Jack. Slowly he lifted the flap and pulled out a piece of paper. There were only two words written on it with thick black marker.

“Punch coupon?” Vaughn asked hesitantly with an arched brow.

The CEO just chuckled. “Yeah, baby! Next time someone on this station gives you any shit, ring my echo and I’ll come over to punch them in the teeth.” The last few words came out in a growl, and Vaughn’s eyes widened. Jack seemed more gleeful at the reaction than anything. “Doesn’t matter when – even if it’s in the middle of a board meeting, you message and I’ll tell those asswipes to hold tight while I take care of it for you, honey bunch.”

He reached to cup Vaughn’s jaw, which was still slack in shock. “Ooo – and let me know what they said so I can give ‘em a good one liner before it hits!” Jack’s boistrous laughter filled the room. “Ha ha, it’ll be priceless! I’ll even send you a picture of the aftermath, just to sweeten the deal.”

Vaughn’s face was a warm red. He looked back to the slip of paper in his hands. “I, uh – I don’t know if that’s necessary.”

 Jack flipped a palm out. “Well if you don’t want it…”

“No!” Vaughn quickly retracted. He pulled the paper back to his chest defensively, and Rhys snickered as his boyfriend carefully folded and tucked it aside. “I’ll keep it. Just in case.” A bashful smile showed on his face. “Thanks, Jack.”

Just as Vaughn was unwrapping his present from Rhys, one of the boxes underneath the tree shifted. All eyes turned toward the source of the noise and three of the men panicked.

“WHOA!” Vaughn yelled to turn attention back toward him. He held up the unwrapped gift in his hands. “Rhys, this is great! Whatever this is! Let’s talk about it!” He blinked, calming down and staring at the glass and metal container filled with wrapped chocolates.

“Is this a treat dispenser?”

Rhys chuckled, relieved at the save. “Yeah, for your desk at work. You can have candy whenever you’re feeling stressed.” The side of his mouth twisted up in pride. “I even installed a fingerprint reader on it so only you can get to them.”

“Brooooo,” Vaughn gushed. He started to drool a little bit again. “These are the ones with the caramel inside, aren’t they?”

“Yup.”

“You’re the bessst.”

“I know.”

When Timothy started to look curiously at the remaining presents underneath the tree, Rhys jumped in. “I’ll go next.” He gathered the presents with his name on them while trying to avoid eye contact.

“Open mine!” Vaughn said, already chewing on one of his candies. He pointed at a small box with yellow wrapping paper.

Rhys tore away the wrapping and grinned. “Fury Kart Racing! Bro, I’ve been waiting forever for this to come out.”

“I read that the karts all come with special abilities,” Vaughn said. He leaned forward excitedly. “You want to play today?”

They met each others’ eyes and suddenly shared a mischievous look. “Only if you’re ready to weep,” Rhys commented in a low voice.

Vaughn bore an unusually fierce gaze back at him. “You’re going to cry out of your cyber eye when I win.”

Timothy grinned at the exchange. Despite how gentle they were with each other most of the time, Rhys and Vaughn’s video game rivalry was something to behold. He was going to enjoy sitting back and watching the show later.

The next present Rhys opened was from Timothy. His face lit up at the colorful contents underneath the wrapping. “Soooocks!”

Timothy chuckled. “I’ve caught on that you have a thing for them.”

“Yeah, why is that, Rhysie?” Jack asked with a condescending leer.

Rhys managed to send a dark look over amidst his footwear euphoria. “It’s important,” he said, inspecting the different pairs he’d received. Checkered blue and purple polka dots were slung over his shoulder, and he held up another couple with teal and black stripes. “It helps a man stand out.”

A snort erupted from Jack but he held back further comment for Rhys’s sake. The kid just looked far too happy with the gift he’d gotten to toss on more snark. Maybe it was the Christmas cheer or something.

After looking through the several pairs of brilliant colored socks, Rhys crawled over to Tim and gently pulled him forward into a kiss. Timothy blushed and smiled against Rhys’s lips as they held. He must have done good with what he picked out; this was well worth it.

_“Myyyuu!”_

Both of them froze. “What was _that?_ ” Tim said, bewildered. “It sounded like something squeaked!”

“It was my arm,” Rhys laughed as he pulled away to sit back where he was. “It’s creaky lately.”

“It sure is,” Vaughn chuckled much less believably.

“We should probably _pick up the pace_ here so I can take care of it,” Rhys said as he started pulling wrapping off the last small box he had.

After a beat of silence, Jack spoke up. “I’ve got something that’ll lube that for ya.”

Rhys did his darnedest to ignore the comment as he looked at the cylindrical hardware drive he uncovered. Despite wanting to hurry, he found himself staring warily at the gift. “Uh, what is it?”

Jack was all teeth as he grinned. “Plug it in and find out, sweetie.”

“Jack, it’s my brain. I’d like to have some idea of what something is before I just shove it in there.” He mentally kicked himself for the poor choice of words.

“Yeah, yeah,” Jack said with a dramatic roll of his eyes. “Check your list before you tryst and all that. As if I’d put some malware in that fine head of yours. That hurts, Rhysie.”

“Just…what _is_ it?”

Jack sat up with his chest proudly puffed. “It’s an enhancement for your echo eye. I call it the Jackapedia!” He couldn’t say the name without laughing at the sheer cleverness. “Now when you scan things you’ll get my hilarious and insightful commentary to go with all the facts. Cherish this one, baby. I put a lot of effort into it.”

That was about as good of reassurance as he was going to get. Rhys took the small piece of metal and plugged into the port on the side of his head. The feeling of data pouring in made his nerves prickle, and he shuddered. Bunches of goosebumps rose up his human arm at the sensation.

“You all right?” Vaughn asked with concern.

“Yeah. It just feels funny when my cybernetics communicate with a new source.” After a few seconds his echo eye finally lit and he saw a message saying that the software had installed correctly.

“It looks like it’s working…” Rhys said tentatively. He still didn’t feel completely confident that Jack didn’t have some sort of strange surprise for him.

“Ooo! Scan us!” Timothy said, bouncing a bit with excitement.

Rhys scanned Timothy first, Jack’s commentary coming up in red text next to the bright blue Hyperion database information. “Timothy Lawrence. Second handsomest being on Helios. Pretty hot. Has a sweet scar on his butt from when he tried to take a piss in needle stalker territory. (Oh, that’s where that came from…)”

Tim remorsefully grabbed his rump. “Couldn’t walk for _weeks_ ,” he whimpered.

“Vaughn Bradford,” Rhys continued, starting to find the entertainment in this upgrade. “Master at concealing godlike levels of buff. Pretty hot. Living proof that sometimes the biggest fun can come in the smallest packages.” He struggled greatly to read without bursting into laughter.

Jack turned to see Vaughn staring at him with arms folded and an absolutely appalled expression on his face. “Oh for God’s sake, princess, I meant your height.”

“That’s not much better!!!”

Shaking with laughs, Rhys went to scan Jack but then flinched. “Uh? The program shut down.” He blinked dazedly before giving Jack a suspicious look. “Some error about a text overload.”

Jack turned from his attempts at appeasing Vaughn. “Hm? Well yeah, sugar cakes. That’s a lot of greatness to explain.” He gestured grandly to himself. “Can’t expect to sum all this up in just a few sentences. I’ll send you a link to the full essay later.”

“Can’t wait,” Rhys deadpanned.

“So…my turn?” Timothy changed the subject, eyeing the last few presents curiously. Rhys reached over to grab the one wrapped in red paper and gently slid it over to Timothy. He was careful to make sure the side with holes poked in was facing away from the other man.

“We sort of collaborated on your gift. Open this one first.”

With an intrigued glance to the three other expectant men, Timothy gingerly pulled off the lid of the box. Inside was a small orange kitten crawling around on the blanketed inside. She squinted up at Timothy and mewed in a tiny voice for attention.

A similar squeak came out of Timothy as he pulled the kitten out of the box and snug into his arms. The critter was happy nuzzle into the crook of his arm for warmth and comfort. Sets of tiny claws dug gently into his skin. “A kitten?” Tim said breathlessly. His attention drew to Rhys momentarily in concern.

Vaughn was suddenly sitting at his boyfriend’s side to beam at the new addition. He reached over and scritched the kitten on her head. “We got her from a shelter on Eden-5. You like her?”

Timothy squeaked again, then cleared his throat. “Sh…she’s perfect! She’s so cute!!!” His vision blurred with tears that he fought to keep away. “I’m gonna name her Buttercup.”

Buttercup showed her appreciation by closing her eyes contentedly, and Tim looked excitedly to Vaughn. “I think she loves me!”

Unable to resist, Vaughn got to his knees and pressed a gentle kiss to Tim’s lips. “That makes four of us,” he muttered with a grin, brushing a tear off the other’s lashes with his thumb. Timothy responded by leaning in for a few longer kisses. The two looked into each others’ eyes warmly after finally breaking apart.

“Damn,” Jack said, also on the scene now across from Timothy. His blue and green eyes observed the kitten with approval. “She’s got you fooled. That cat’s going to be a troublemaker once she settles in.”

Timothy held a gently cupped a hand over the kitten’s ears. “Don’t listen to him, Buttercup. You’re the sweetest kitty alive! I know it.”

Chuckling, Jack leaned forward to kiss Timothy. “We’ll see about that, Timmy,” he chuckled.

Timothy looked down and ran his hand over Buttercup’s back. “Really, guys,” he said quietly. “Thank you. I'm gonna love her forever.”

Jack smirked proudly at the image of his body double with a kitten in his arms. Even if that thing tore up the couch one day,this had to be worth the trouble. Probably. Out of the four of them, Timothy spent the most time at home while the others worked longer hours out in their offices. It was good to see him with a buddy.

From behind, Rhys slid another large box Timothy’s way. “We all pitched in for a bunch of supplies, too,” he explained. “Should be everything she needs in there.”

“Aww,” Timothy gushed, working to pull on the wrapping with his free hand. “You guys are the best!” With Vaughn’s help, they soon had the box open and Timothy ooo’d and aww’d more at the huge stockpile of cat stuff – a fluffy purple bed, blankets of all colors to scatter around the penthouse for her, a bright yellow litter box, cans of food in various flavors to find her favorite, high quality treats in the shape of fish and mice, and every toy imaginable from jingly catnip balls to feathers on a stick.

As they reached the bottom of the box, Vaughn’s nose scrunched. “I thought there was a collar, too.” He glanced up. “Jack, weren’t you going to get that?”

Rhys held up one last small, flat box. “It must be this.”

The present was suddenly swiped from his cybernetic hand with violent ferocity. “Wait – a collar for the _cat?!_ ” Jack barked.

Rhys’s forehead crinkled incredulously. “Well, yeah, what else would…” He trailed off and the room fell into a pit of awkwardness. Jack’s eyes cut between Rhys and Vaughn.

“This is why you two need to not talk to me about things like this while I’m working!”

Huffing, he tucked the present back behind his back. Rhys and Vaughn worked hard to get the attention back on Buttercup as Jack continued muttering about why a cat would need a collar in the first place, and how he’d have to save that gift for Valentine’s Day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dang it, Jack, stop getting the fluff dirty!
> 
> There actually is a real cookbook called Thug Kitchen that totally fits Jack's attitude lol.
> 
> I had trouble describing Vaughn's shirt without being able to use the symbols in the story text. Hopefully it makes sense, or at least gives an indication of how dorky Vaughn and Timothy are. X3
> 
> Lots more still to come! The day's just started. : 3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things pull back a bit in this chapter as Rhys and Jack reminisce over coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I gave up and bumped the rating a little. These guys cannot keep it clean hehe.
> 
> This chapter sort of addresses the elephant in the room about why the heck these four are celebrating Christmas together in the first place.

Once the others were well into basking Buttercup with attention and setting up her supplies, Jack slipped back to the kitchen to have more coffee. He sighed and rubbed his face upon passing the threshold. Timothy was crazy for getting them up this early, Christmas or no. He deserved a proper day off, damn it.

His hand fumbled for his proper mug, retrieving a bright yellow one with “King Sized” printed in big capital letters on the side. He set to pouring another generous serving of coffee while breathing in the pungent scent.

Another set of footsteps shuffled in behind him – Rhys. Jack looked down in amusement at the new purple polka dot socks he was already sporting. “Hey,” Rhys said. “Any left there?”

“Greedy,” Jack replied, even as he downed a mouthful himself. “Have at it.”

Rhys peered at the pot, which just barely had one cup left. He retrieved his own favorite mug from the cabinet that was striped in bright blues similar to his cybernetic eye. Jack watched with interest as his boyfriend poured himself what was left. Wearing only boxers, the guy’s dark tattoo was on display. Its intricate, curving design splayed across one side of his chest up to the bottom of his neck. Usually that little treasure was hidden beneath tight collared shirts, so the view had to be enjoyed whenever it could.

After pouring his drink, Rhys turned and quirked an eyebrow at the hungry stare. “Can I help you?” he questioned, though the edge of his mouth quirked mirthfully.

“All those ornaments and you’re still decorated better than the tree,” Jack said, glancing pointedly at Rhys’s ink. “I’m never going to get tired of looking at that.”

Rhys huffed. “Good. I went through great pains for it.” He stirred a generous amount of creamer into his mug and slurped. “Luckily I know when something’s going to pay off.”

The two sat next to each other on stools at the kitchen island, just close enough to feel each others’ warmth. Across the way, they could see Timothy and Vaughn still sitting on the living room floor. Vaughn now had Buttercup cuddled up in his arms while Timothy spread out the various blankets she’d received. They debated excitedly over what spots in the penthouse would be the best places to give her comfortable places to hide or rest.

“Timothy _really_ does love cats,” Rhys noted, watching the scene with interest.

“Heh. Told ya! Didn’t think he’d actually cry when he saw her, though. That was priceless.” Jack observed his double warmly. “I do way too much weird shit for that guy.”

Rhys cleared his throat, careful to choose his words. “Well, he does have your face, Jack. I’d say that wins in the weird shit department every time.”

A small frown drew across Jack’s mask, and he spoke a little quieter. “All right, fine, I’ll give you that.” He lifted his mug to take an especially long gulp before regaining his usual tone of voice. “You do know the shit ton of money that kid gets for his trouble, right? And some sweet-ass _benefits_.”

Rhys coughed, choking on his coffee a little and making Jack grin mischieviously.

“Speaking of, sharing my bed with three nerds is still some weird shit, pumpkin. Keep in mind, that’s me talking!”

At the mention of their other boyfriends, Rhys drew his attention back to the living room. His expression seemed to glow. “You’re the one who got it started,” he pointed out in a fond voice.

Jack’s seat creaked a little as he leaned back and folded his arms. He watched Timothy carefully. “Wasn’t a whole lot of options, kitten.” He paused for a moment, thoughtful, before smirking, “And you’re not the only one who knows when something will pay off. Pretty sure I invented that.”

Rhys rolled his eyes goodnaturedly. “I couldn’t believe when you mentioned Tim being with us. It was _almost_ as weird as finding out you had an identical body double in the first place.”

The thought made Jack chuckle heavily. “Kiddo, your head about popped when you first saw us in the same room. It’s amazing you didn’t beg for a threeway right then and there.” The bright red tinge to Rhys’s cheeks only added to his entertainment.

“I, uh, hadn’t really considered being with…more than one person before.”

“Ha! I’d definitely thought about it, but wasn’t until your pretty asses came along that I found more than one person I could stand at a time. You may still be learning, princess, but I’m _full_ of good ideas.” His grin was deep with self-satisfaction.

“You know, you’re actually lucky all of us agreed.”

Jack’s sharp gaze fixed on Rhys with delight. “Aw, come on, Rhysie. You know there was no resisting Timtams. He had you by the balls the second you saw him.” Memories replayed of how bashful Rhys had gotten the first time Jack revealed the existence of Timothy to him. It had been a rarity for Timothy to introduce himself properly to someone without pretending to be the CEO, and the two had done a lot of stammering and all sorts of other awkward shit. It became evident way too soon that two were compatible.

Still, and though Jack wouldn’t admit it, springing the actual idea had been a risk. Timothy had been certain the whole thing was a twisted joke and gotten mopey, while Rhys gave Jack narrow eyes like he’d just asked them to partake in a kinky science experiment. Luckily Jack had a knack for getting people to see things his way, and the two eventually warmed up again. Even though Timothy was practically Jack’s opposite on the inside, he’d truly won Rhys over just as Jack had.

A smile crept over Rhys’s face, the kid probably reminiscing on that day himself. “Fine. Yeah, he had me hooked pretty quick. It was crazy to meet someone who looked just like you, but acted so different. Strange, but, I liked it.” He stole a quick but meaningful glance at Jack. “I’m glad you got us together.”

Jack inwardly chuckled as Rhys busied himself with his coffee again. The guy was definitely trying to be subtle but it still stroked his ego all the same.

Rhys finished his cup and then stared back over at their other two partners. “Sometimes I’m still surprised that Vaughn’s here,” he said quietly.

The statement made Jack fold his arms expectantly. “What, you think he’s not into us?”

“He’s not exactly, um, an adventurous person,” Rhys said with a thoughtful frown. “I never thought he’d agree to this whole thing.”

 Jack hummed with amusement. “Little guy’s not as boring as he seems. You don’t give him enough credit.”

The words made Rhys flinch a bit, and he studied Vaughn with a pensive glint in his eyes. Despite what he’d just said, Jack recalled that Vaughn had required the most effort to pull into the group. In a way, that was what he respected about the guy. Vaughn was much more deliberate than the other two; he wasn’t so easily won over by just a handsome face (and given Jack’s own gorgeous features, that had come as quite a shock). In a station full of men and women alike who would gladly jump his bones in a heartbeat, the kid’s genuine attitude and stubbornness was a refreshing break. Jack had been well up to the challenge of reeling him in.

Tossing back the last of his now lukewarm coffee, Jack slid off his seat and headed for the bedroom to get changed. The room was quite spacious with a bed that had been big enough to comfortably fit four men even before this whole situation came together. He mentally patted himself on the back for always being prepared.

“Hey, Jack!” Rhys’s voice followed him. He turned to see the cybernetic man grinning in the doorway. His mechanical hand held a small bunch of mistletoe above his head.

Jack sauntered forward with a condescending smirk. “Kiddo, you do know what dating means, right? You don’t have to keep pulling weird tricks to get sugar – the canister’s open!”

Rhys crooked his flesh hand to his hip with impatience. “It’s called flirting. Do you know what _that_ means?”

The two were now close enough to feel each other’s breath. Jack eyed Rhys with a sly grin. “I’ll show you what that means,” he growled before sweeping Rhys into a hungry embrace and kiss. His fingers firmly curled around Rhys’s bare waist and shoulder while Rhys pulled forward to better seal their bodies against each other. His human hand gently stroked from the edge of Jack’s mask into his hair and combed through locks as their kiss deepened. The two eagerly explored each others’ mouths and Jack’s tongue caught the delicate sweetness from the coffee Rhys had been drinking. He was a real treat to taste this early in the morning.

Suddenly Rhys gasped and startled backward. Both men looked down in surprise to see Buttercup winding her way around his bare ankles. “Ah, no!” Rhys spluttered, trying to move away from the ticklish ball of fur but she followed with insistent mews. “Buttercup, go back to see Timothy and Vaughn.”

Jack chuckled and leaned against the door frame. “She’s sweet on you, Rhysie.”

“Ah, ha,” Rhys tried to laugh along. “That’s nice, but you're Timothy’s cat, Buttercup. Timothy’s!”

The man in question strode into the room at that moment, scooping the kitten into his arms and coming to Rhys’s rescue. “Aww, she just wants to meet everyone in her new family,” Timothy gushed in a cutesy voice. He scritched her behind the ear and nuzzled his face into her light orange fur affectionately. Jack couldn’t hide a snort at the display.

Timothy turned his attention to Jack and beamed. “Are we going to make cookies now?”

“Yeah, yeah. Let me get some clothes on.” When Rhys turned to likewise head for the closet, Jack gave him a swat on the rear.

“That’s for your sass.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everybody who's been reading! : 3 I'd like to get as much of this finished as I can before the holidays are over.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Timothy make Christmas cookies together, despite some conflicts of interest.

Before long Jack was standing in the kitchen wearing a simple red sweater and pair of jeans. He flipped through recipes to the one Timothy had bookmarked for cut-out sugar cookies. It was pretty basic and would be a cinch for the both of them. There was no exaggeration that his skills in the kitchen were absolutely legendary, and Timothy had a strong fondness for making baked goods. Jack loved coming home after a bad day to the smell of his latest treat. Sometimes he’d send his double obnoxious amounts of messages throughout the day that bemoaned his work just to try and get sympathy brownies.

“Hey there, sugar plum, are we making cookies or what?”

Jack turned at the uncanny impression of himself, ready to give Timothy a snarky remark in return but froze at the sight. 

“What the hell is that?”

Timothy was all humored grins at Jack’s shell-shocked expression. “Do you like it?”

“No,” Jack truthfully replied. Tim couldn’t help but burst out a laugh.

It was like looking into the sun but Jack couldn’t avert his eyes from his double’s sweater. The dark green garment sported a huge cartoony reindeer face on the front, with pupils so large it appeared the animal had been snorting cocaine. The sight of such a thing on his body made Jack feel woozy.

“Just give me this one today,” Timothy coaxed. “Please?”

Jack folded his arms and huffed. There was no way to deny that face. “Go ahead, but my first new year resolution is to ban clothes like that from the station.”

Unfazed by the empty threat, Timothy stepped forward to gently hug Jack. It was quick and soft, their shoulders pressing for just a brief moment, and Jack felt his knees momentarily tremble at the gesture. Once Timothy stepped past, he held up a handheld music player. “Can I talk you into putting on some Christmas music while we do this?” he asked with a smile.

Jack held out his hand. “Only if I get to make sure we’re not playing any crappy stuff.” Once Timothy had surrendered the player, Jack quickly scrolled through the songs and picked several out. He hated stuff that was too jingly or sappy, but mercifully there was a lot to choose from. He finally set the player on the counter and the tune of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” filled the room. Timothy blinked a few times in surprise but didn’t say anything about the selection. It was definitely corny but Jack felt a nice catharsis whenever he heard that song.

With music going, both men set out to get all the ingredients ready. Timothy carefully measured out flour and sugar while Jack cracked a couple of eggs into a bowl. “I sent you a link to another course on programming,” Jack mentioned casually. “Any of that stuff sinking in?”

Timothy held up his measuring cup to make sure he had just the right amount. “Uh, yeah! It’s interesting. I’d like to try doing it hands-on sometime.”

“Let me know,” Jack said, nodding thoughtfully as he tossed out the empty eggshells. “I’m a pro at that stuff. Rhysie’s not too bad, either. We could teach you whatever you want.” He wiped his hand on his jeans. “This company could always use more programmers, especially ones that don’t have their head up their ass.”

Timothy paused in his preparations to give Jack a curious glance.

Once the ingredients were gathered and mixed together, Tim started rolling out the dough for cutting. Jack came from behind to smoothly wrap arms around and hold him. The double was like a living stress ball, and Jack always felt a boost after holding and squeezing him for a while. Luckily Timothy was an avid cuddler and almost always up for a good snuggle. Even while focusing on the cookies in progress, he leaned back into the attention and blew a soft sigh through his nose.

“You’re hot when you bake,” Jack commented.

“You think so?”

“Oh, yeah. I couldn’t keep my hands off you if I wanted.”

“…You sure you’re not just trying to get out of doing the work?”

A warm laugh huffed into Timothy’s neck. “Kiddo, this is emotional support. I’d say that’s pretty damn important,” Jack said as his fingers traced over a spot where flour had stuck to Tim’s sweater. He gave the man another solid squeeze with his arms, and Timothy tilted his head back for a kiss. The two pressed their lips together gently at first, then much more firmly. Timothy reached around to grasp Jack’s shoulder while Jack soothingly rubbed a palm against his chest. They left the cookies on hold for a few minutes to embrace each other before an uproar from the other room interrupted.

“Oh, yeah! First place again!!!” Rhys shouted.

Vaughn’s voice quickly followed. “Yeah, because you used your eye. Power that thing off, cheater!”

Timothy smiled at the red-hot commotion. “Aww, they’re playing that game! Let’s get these in the oven so we can watch.”

“Ugh, nerd shit,” Jack scoffed quietly. He pulled Tim in for one last deep kiss before letting go. “All right, honey bunch, but I’m gonna keep in mind where we were so we can pick up later.”

The two set to work getting the cookies cut out; Timothy was prepared with all sorts of shapes to use. He spread out an assortment of shaped cutters including Christmas trees, stars, snowmen, reindeer, and ornaments. “This’ll be easy,” he said, eagerly testing out each one. “We should get lots of cookies with this.” His eyes glanced over and he had to do a double take at what Jack was holding.

“What are you doing?!”

Jack stopped and stared blankly at Timothy. “…What?”

Timothy folded his arms, flustered and a little red in the face. “Why do you have a cutter shaped like a penis?”

Jack looked casually at the object in his hand and the phallic cookie that had just been cut, before grinning toothily at his boyfriend. “You gotta spice things up in the kitchen sometimes, sweetheart. Or are you only telling me now that you don’t like eating dicks?” He plunged the cutter down into the dough again with resolve.

Timothy blinked slow, not sure whether to protest or laugh at the ridiculous display. With a butter knife he drew a line down the mass of dough, and Jack could see him straining to hold on to a poker face. “Okay,” Tim said after a long breath. “You just stay on that side and I’ll stay on this side.” With that, he got right back to cutting cookies and refused to even look at the CEO.

The sight of his double trying desperately not to give him any satisfaction just made the situation more amusing for Jack. He watched Timothy with feisty eyes for several seconds before returning to his own work.

By the time the two men got back to the living room as the cookies baked, Rhys and Vaughn were well into the rounds of their racing game. “We’re tied on points,” Vaughn explained, his cheeks flushed and giving Rhys a sharp look. “One more race, and whoever comes in first next time wins.”

Rhys looked back at him with a cool smirk. “Easy, bro. That vein is starting to pop out of your forehead. Just relax and let this happen.”

Timothy leaned over the back of the couch with ancticipation while Jack casually rested against the far wall. Watching these two go at it over video games was always a pretty good show. Jack’s favorite part was seeing Vaughn finally lose his reserved demeanor and get rowdy.

The last race began with the weaponized karts scaling a rugged mountain. Rhys started off in the lead, throwing oil spills Vaughn’s way to slip him up, but eventually Vaughn caught up during the second lap and the two were neck and neck. They fired an assortment of projectiles and weapons at each other but none met their target. At the final lap it seemed close but then Vaughn’s kart grazed a boulder and slowed down. Rhys sped ahead to make for the finish line.

“Heh, heh, heh,” he chortled, tapping his socked feet on the floor rapidly in amusement. “Sorry, bro. This one’s mine!”

Timothy watched the screen intently, completely engrossed in the action. “Ah, I think he’s got it!”

Jack’s eyes flickered to the corner of the room by the Christmas tree and back to how Rhys was drumming the tips of his feet on the floor. Once the connection was made he grinned and waited to see how this would play out.

Just as Rhys was nearing the finish line an orange blur streaked across the room. Buttercup, who’d been watching the scene with increasingly large eyes, sprung out from underneath the tree like a rabid skag and pounced Rhys’s feet.

“Ah! HELL!” the man screamed, dropping his controller to fend off the ferocious attack. Vaughn took immediate advantage of the situation and sped across the finish line while he was distracted.

“Woo hoo!” he laughed and pumped fists into the air. Timothy cheered, too, and they gave each other a high five, while Jack just laughed at the mayhem.

Rhys gingerly pried the small kitten off his foot with his cybernetic hand. “That…was definitely unfair,” he whimpered. After dislodging one last claw from his sock he shooed the kitty away.

“Aw, Rhysie, that was perfect,” Jack guffawed. “Your ass was asking for it!”

Vaughn seamlessly reverted back to his calm self after winning the match. “Are you okay, Rhys?” he asked as he eyed the damage. When his boyfriend just sulked in response, Vaughn reached to acquire a couple of chocolates from his treat jar. He stuffed them into Rhys’s hand with a sympathetic smile.

Timothy straightened up again when there was a beep from the kitchen. “Cookies are done!” he chirped. “I’ll get the frosting ready and we can decorate together.”

The four eventually gathered around the kitchen table, working to decorate dozens of various-shaped cookies. There were three large bowls with red, green, and white frosting as well as various containers of sprinkles at their disposal. After decorating a snowman and ornament, Rhys held up one of the penis-shaped cookies. “What the fuck,” he mouthed almost silently, making Vaughn snicker. Jack shot Tim a smug look of satisfaction.

“What’d I tell you, baby? It livens things up. Like this…”

He swiped a knife covered in green frosting down the front of a snowman cookie already frosted white. “Get it? It’s throwing up!” Rhys shook his head at the display while Vaughn laughed shamelessly.

“Jack,” Timothy whined. “You’re killing the holiday spirit.”

Vaughn cleared his throat in attempt to change the focus. “Tim, do you want to go over to the shopping district? We could get Buttercup a collar, since…you know. The one right now isn’t going to fit…” he trailed off with a mischievous grin.

Jack shot narrow eyes across the table. “I’m telling you – _never again_ while I’m working!”

The suggestion still brightened Timothy’s expression. “Yeah, that’d be fun! Maybe we could pick up some movies to watch later, too.”

“You bet,” Vaughn responded with a warm smile.

Rhys smeared red frosting across another ornament cookie with disdain. “I meant to pick some up the other night. Stupid overtime,” he muttered.

A new creation frantically came together in Jack’s hands and he held up a reindeer splotched in red. “Look – this one’s shot!” he proclaimed gleefully. The other three just gave him a blank stare.

“Oh, really, that’s what went too far for you? Here, pass the white. I’ve got one that’ll make you laugh.”

“NO!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hallelujah this one's done, I need sleep. x_x Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> The scene with cutting out the cookies had an alternate ending of Timothy and Jack fighting frantically to make the shapes they wanted before the other one could, but it ended up feeling a little out of character for Timothy.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vaughn and Timothy head out into Helios and bump into a friend.

Vaughn waited patiently while Timothy changed into his Handsome Jack costume. Jack had drawn the line at Timothy stepping foot outside the penthouse in his reindeer sweater, so the body double had to opt for the usual attire. Everything needed was hung up by the door like it was simple as putting on a hat, and Timothy almost made it look that easy. He wriggled out of his top and seamlessly put on each excessive layer – the yellow Hyperion sweater, white dress shirt, vest, and leather jacket. Vaughn secretly wondered if the reason Jack was so wound up all the time had to do with being too warm and suffocated in all those clothes. Looking down at his own aqua green hoodie with a couple of poof balls hanging from the collar, he figured he and Tim would make for an interesting duo out in the station.

The mask, though, was still unsettling to watch. Timothy pulled it out of a drawer and Vaughn felt a little shiver seeing the familiar but empty face before it was easily fastened and became one with Timothy’s own. Everyone on Helios seemed to inwardly wonder about why Jack wore that mask all the time, but no one dared to speak openly about it. Even after dating Jack for months, Vaughn had no clue what the reason was. Timothy had made a point early on to him and Rhys that it shouldn’t be brought up. He had a feeling Tim knew the reason; the two had worked together even before Jack became CEO. Jack wearing a mask was just commonplace by this point, though, and he didn’t think about it much until times like this.

Timothy stopped to give himself a once-over in a mirror set by the door before turning to Vaughn. The similarity of him to Jack was uncanny now, besides the peppy facial expression. “Ready to go?”

“Uh, yep.”

Once they’d stepped out the door, Timothy slung a heavy arm around Vaughn’s shoulder but then frowned. “Ugh. I want the day off today.” He slipped his hand downward to grasp his boyfriend’s hand instead. “Shouldn’t be too many people out today, anyway,” he added with a mumble. The gesture made Vaughn feel instantly brighter and warm as they strode down the hall.

“Ah ha,” he started, turning away to try and hide his blush, “I guess this is the first time you and me have gone out together like this.” Having dates out was difficult when Jack and Timothy were supposed to be the same person. The penthouse was fortunately so spacious and well-equipped that it didn’t feel too much like a burden.

Timothy smiled down at Vaughn. “Usually I try to look either really smug or pissed off, but people tend to steer clear no matter what. You won’t have to worry about any crowds bothering us.” He paused thoughtfully. “Just make sure to call me Jack. That’s the one rule I can’t break.”

“I’ll try to remember that,” Vaughn said hesitantly, his brow furrowed. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you in costume or, uh, character. Is it difficult?”

“Ha! Not as much as you might think. I try not to talk too much, but when I do, it’s usually in one-liners or threats. The most important part is just for me to be seen.”

“You must be convincing. I never had a clue Jack – err, you – had a…you know.” Vaughn trailed off awkwardly, but it didn’t have much of an effect on Timothy.

“Aww, thanks! I like to think I’ve got it down by now, but it’s nice to actually hear someone say it.”

The two reached a large, private elevator at the end of the hall that would take them down to the other many levels of Helios. Timothy pressed the button for the shopping sector and leaned casually against the back wall as the doors shut. Vaughn took the opportunity to snuggle in close at his side. He closed his eyes and breathed in the comforting scent of Tim’s jacket. Vaughn felt like Timothy was a living security blanket, built tough like Jack but lacking the keyed up energy of the CEO. Being around him was like being cozy indoors during a rainstorm; it just made him want to curl up and take a nap together.

After several long moments the elevator doors slid open once more to reveal the main shopping hub of Helios. It was bright and open with a ceiling reaching several stories up. Warm light bathed the area, providing the members of the station the closest thing to outdoors they were going to get. Not many people were out – those who had the day off wanting to not see their coworkers and those with unforgiving managers stuck in their offices. Some of those who were around turned heads at the sight of the peculiar match with who they thought was Jack, and it managed to bring some awkward amusement to Vaughn.

“This is so great,” Timothy said with a sigh. His eyes lit up as he observed the surroundings. “I haven’t been out here in forever. With you, it’s even better! I’m glad you thought of this.”

Vaughn couldn’t help the blush that deepened in his cheeks. Being out with Timothy was definitely a thrill. The knowledge of him not being Jack actually sort of made the outing fun, as the two of them shared their own secret. “The pet store should be down that way,” he said with a nudge against Timothy’s arm and nod to the left. They both veered down toward one of the side pathways, and up ahead Vaughn recognized a familiar face.

“Hey! Gladstone!”

The scientist hopped a little in surprise before turning. He raised a hand to wave fondly back at Vaughn but shrunk in on himself upon seeing who he thought was Jack. Timothy immediately gave a thumbs up signal and flashed a grin too sweet to be the CEO’s.“I have to let him know I’m not Jack right away or he’ll book it,” he mused with a chuckle. Gladstone walked toward them bashfully and adjusted his glasses.

“Hey, there! Merry Christmas!” he spoke in a chipper voice that still seemed to tremble a little from the shock of seeing Jack’s face. Vaughn stepped closer to give their friend a hug as Timothy turned it into a group embrace. When they let go Vaughn noticed that Gladstone’s hair was a little bit ruffled, as if he’d just recently woke up.

“Whatcha doing out here?” Timothy asked with a grin.

“Gonna get some coffee,” Gladstone responded, observing them past his thick glasses. “Had a long night last night catching up on work.” His gaze turned to Vaughn. “And dropping off that kitty this morning, yeah? How did that go?”

Timothy’s eyebrows arched in surprise. “Buttercup was with you?!”

“Oh, yeah. Kept the critter over in R&D for a week while we waited for the holiday. She was a lot of fun to play with, gave me some down time from all our work. Course, I had to keep her safe from the others. You know how those folks love to perform wild experiments, and cats are hard to come by on Helios. I thought of covering her holding container with warning stickers, but supposed that would just make people more interested, so I ended up just putting a simple lock on it. Like a leaf in a forest, as they say. You named her Buttercup?”

Timothy seemed to melt a bit at the discussion of his new pet. “Yeah. She’s the best!”

“Gotta say, I’ll probably miss having that kitty around. Good company, she was.”

“You could always come by and visit her, anytime,” Timothy offered with a wide smile, even as he seemed to know the answer already. Gladstone fumbled over himself before the question was even out.

“No! Ah, well, probably not. We could see. I hate to be a bother.” He scratched the side of his head nervously, and Vaughn felt a little guilt over knowing that Jack’s presence limited their friendship. Gladstone made _him_   feel calm and composed in comparison, and that mixed with the CEO’s bold personality was a seemingly futile venture.

After chatting a bit more, Gladstone finally went off to get his coffee while Timothy and Vaughn headed for the pet store. It was nothing grand, the majority of Hyperion employees more interested in corporate advancement than pets. A hulking robot stood at the counter with just a few aisles of supplies within.

The two looked around and finally found a small display of collars in the back corner. There was a black one with spikes, one in the traditional Hyperion yellow, but Timothy finally picked out a soft blue one. “I think this one will go well with her fur,” he said with a dreamy smile on his face. It was obvious the guy was already longing to get back to check up on his new kitten. Vaughn couldn’t help but lean up against his side and kiss his neck.

“Yeah, that one’s perfect.”

As they paid for the item, the robot cashier handed them a flyer and spoke in a low, garbled voice. “We are expanding soon. Come back to see our wider selection.”

Timothy gripped the paper with a sheepish expression on his face. “Jack,” he muttered thoughtfully before darting wide eyes up at the robot. “I mean, uh, me. I. Yes. I planned this. Of course.”  He crumpled the flyer into his pocket as Vaughn took the bag and they headed out.

The video store was their last stop on the way back. Vaughn and Timothy sifted through the minimal selection of what was left of the holiday specials, comparing titles and figuring what would be best.

“This one’s funny,” Vaughn said as he held up the box to a movie where Claptrap played the role of Santa Claus. “I read that he actually claims it was a true story.”

“Oh no!” Timothy cringed. “Don’t get that one. ‘I’ would shoot it to pieces before you could get it into the DVD player.”

The two finally settled on a cheesy low-budget movie about Santa fighting off Pandoran wildlife to retrieve lost presents for the children. Once they got back to the elevator, Vaughn leaned back with a sigh. Rhys was waiting on him to get back so the two of them could start dinner together. The trip out with Timothy had definitely been worth the extra time, though.

The double entered the elevator shortly after but stopped. Vaughn looked at him questioningly as Timothy’s eyes seemed to search his own. Suddenly his expression beamed and he turned to run his hands up over the console and light the button for every floor up to their penthouse. Vaughn just stared with blind confusion at the dozens of lit buttons that would cause their trip to take several minutes instead of several seconds.

“Ti- Jack, _why_ did you –“

His question was quickly answered as Timothy stepped forward and pressed their lips together. Bags were promptly dropped to the floor in favor of pulling each other close and kissing passionately until the elevator reached its destination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've just gotta say, Gladstone needs more love.
> 
> Apologies that this story faced delays and didn't make it out before Christmas. It's been a not great time lately but I'm trying to get back into the writing scene.
> 
> So, come for the holiday theme, stay for the fluff! ; ) There will be more.
> 
> 6/9 UPDATE: Given that it's now about as far from Christmas as you can get, I'm going to hold off on updating this story further until we get into December again. However, I'm going to work on it a bit in the meantime to help get it ready for the last three chapters to be posted for next Christmas. The good news? I'm working on another story with these four, and plan to make the stories about them into a series. Stay tuned!


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